Big Education Ape: Jun 25, 2013

James Baldwin said it best:

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: TOMORROW! JOIN THE CTU PROTEST AGAINST BUDGET CUTS!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: TOMORROW! JOIN THE CTU PROTEST AGAINST BUDGET CUTS!: TOMORROW! by Mike Klonsky [image: EVENTS] Join parents, students and educators from across the city to demand that Chicago puts our schools first! Fight the budget cuts and help win for our students. Please invite LSC members, parents and students from your school! *CHICAGO BOARD OF ED MEETING WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013 Board of Education – 125 S. Clark**8:30 a.m. STAND UP FOR OUR SCHOOLS! CLASSROOMS NEED RESOURCES! **10:30 a.m. Board meeting beginsStand up for your students, your colleagu... more »

Budget detail shows almost all districts returning to prerecession funding levels SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Print this article*Budget detail shows almost all districts returning to prerecession funding levels* *By Kimberly Beltran* Tuesday, June 25, 2013 Gov. Jerry Brown’s finance department has released estimated payment amounts for districts based on the new education funding system adopted earlier this month by the Legislature as part of the 2013-14 state budget. Under terms of what’s being called a “compromise” on Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula, districts will receive an average of about $537 more per student than was proposed in May by... more »

Math, Science, Literacy, and Empathy Are Not Mutually Exclusive — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago

Math, Science, Literacy, and Empathy Are Not Mutually Exclusive — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Start Empathy]Math, Science, Literacy, and Empathy Are Not Mutually Exclusive June 25, 2013 by Start Empathy [image: Neon Tommy - Creative Commons] *Post written by Sharon Lazich for Ashoka's Start Empathy Initiative, a whole child partner organization* In February President Obama laid out an ambitious agenda to invest in our young people, calling for early childhood education for every child in America. In his own words: "Every dollar we invest in high-quality early... more »

Oregon Save Our Schools: Dr. Crew's Office: To Serve the Governor or the Public?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago

Oregon Save Our Schools: Dr. Crew's Office: To Serve the Governor or the Public?: Dr. Crew's Office: To Serve the Governor or the Public? by Oregon SOS *Oregon Save Our Schools met with Dr. Rudy Crew last year, a few months after he was hired in Oregon. We wanted to open a dialogue with him to share concerns of the voice of the public to include parents, teachers, and community members. After meeting for over an hour, which Dr. Crew and his staff graciously stayed longer than what was scheduled, it was obvious that the voice of the public was not in his job expectations. It was... more »

Diane in the Evening 6-25-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Anyone Can Teach, Right? by dianerav Dennis Hong has written an essay that is spreading like wildfire across the Internet. It is called “The Hardest Job Everyone Thinks They Can Do.” He used to be a molecular biologist. When he told his friends about his frustration with a failed experiment, no one told him how to do it right. Then he became a teacher. Now everyone knows his job–or thinks they Oh, Those Overpaid Teachers in Tennessee! by dianerav A reader posted this comment: *I am a teacher in TN. I have 6 years o... more »

Pitiful --- Vallas and Pryor “performance” on the witness stand in the Bridgeport superintendent case - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago

Pitiful --- Vallas and Pryor “performance” on the witness stand in the Bridgeport superintendent case - Wait, What?: Pitiful — Vallas and Pryor “performance” on the witness stand in the Bridgeport superintendent case by jonpelto Yesterday, Paul Vallas and Stefan Pryor took the stand in the case about the fact that Paul Vallas lacks the educational and legal standing to serve as Bridgeport’s superintendent of schools. The case was brought by former Connecticut Judge Carmen Lopez and a Bridgeport parent. Their legal team is headed by the renowned trial attorney, Norm Pattis, as wel... more »

Georgia State GOP Committee Passes Resolution Against Common Core | Scathing Purple Musings

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago

Georgia State GOP Committee Passes Resolution Against Common Core | Scathing Purple Musings: Georgia State GOP Committee Passes Resolution Against Common Core by Bob Sikes From *Marietti Daily Journal *reporter Lindsay Field: MARIETTA — The chess match over Georgia’s involvement in a controversial program to create nationwide educational standards got deeper over the weekend.The State Committee of the Georgia Republican Party adopted a resolution Saturday that recommends the state withdraw from participation in the Common Core standards and the national tests that are tied to ... more »

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 6-25-13: Sign Xian’s petition to return the public schools to the public

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 6-25-13: Sign Xian’s petition to return the public schools to the public: PSAT for 6-25-13: Sign Xian’s petition to return the public schools to the public by admin [image: psat_logo] The good news is that my son and daughter-in-law are expecting a baby and have signed a contract on a new house in Chicago. The bad news is that as of yesterday, there is no neighborhood elementary school in their area. As someone who has fought for high quality schools for every child in Chicago for 25 years, I find this a hard pill to ... more »

Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: Supreme Court Ruling Strikes Key Provisions of the Voting Rights Act

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago

Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: Supreme Court Ruling Strikes Key Provisions of the Voting Rights Act: Supreme Court Ruling Strikes Key Provisions of the Voting Rights Act by L. Jablonski *This law covers many pages. But the heart of the act is plain. Wherever, by clear and objective standards, states and counties are using regulations, or laws, or tests to deny the right to vote, then they will be struck down. If it is clear that State officials still intend to discriminate, then Federal examiners will be sent in to register all eligible voters. When the prospect of discrimination is ... more »

Arne Duncan tells newspaper editors how to report on Common Core

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 30 minutes ago

Arne Duncan tells newspaper editors how to report on Common Core: Arne Duncan tells newspaper editors how to report on Common Core By Valerie Strauss, Published: June 25, 2013 at 4:19 pmE-mail the writer It seems that a big part of Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s job now is giving impassioned defenses of the Common Core State Standards, which he did Tuesday to a convention of American news editors (some of whom may not have even known it needed defending). A few months ago, Duncan told Chamber of Commerce leaders that they had to be more supportive of the Common Core because it was ... more »

TODAY's Education Research Report 6-25-13

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago

Education Research Report: Language Intervention Levels Playing Field for English Language Learners Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 2 hours ago A new approach to teaching pre-kindergarten could take a bite out of the achievement gap and level the playing field for America’s growing population of English language learners, according to a recently published study by researchers at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development. “We are excited that we have helped teachers develop ways of teaching that result in such remarkable gains among children,... more »

Arne Duncan To Defend Common Core, Call Tea Party Critiques 'Outlandish'

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago

Arne Duncan To Defend Common Core, Call Tea Party Critiques 'Outlandish': Arne Duncan To Defend Common Core, Call Tea Party Critiques 'Outlandish' by Joy Resmovits Over the last few months, the louder critics of the Common Core learning standards have associated the initiative with varying degrees of evil: vampires, zombies, brain tracking, Hitler. In a Washington, D.C. speech to the American Society of News Editors Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is expected to add one more to the list. "Traditionally, this event has been an opportunity for federal leaders to ta... more »

Common Core is “Conservative” to the Core? | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago

Common Core is “Conservative” to the Core? | Truth in American Education: Common Core is “Conservative” to the Core? by Shane Vander Hart There is an orchestrated push on the part of Common Core advocates to publish nonsense in local papers and other publication. We can’t respond to each and every piece here, but this particular post should cause a collective eye roll. Chester Finn and Michael Pretrilli of the Fordham Institute wrote a piece published in the* Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel* that must be addressed. They say the Common Core State Standards should make conservatives happy... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Who Will Live In Newark's Teachers Village? TFAers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago

Jersey Jazzman: Who Will Live In Newark's Teachers Village? TFAers: Who Will Live In Newark's Teachers Village? TFAers by Duke *"I am!" says the state's most popular Republican.* *"Me too!" says the state's most popular Democrat.* - See more at: http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/who-will-live-in-newarks-teachers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JerseyJazzman+%28Jersey+Jazzman%29#sthash.aUSAt1mM.dpuf Teach For America looks like it wants to expand its presence in New Jersey: Dear Greater Philadelphia Alumni, I hope this letter finds you well an... more »

BREAKING NEWS: Student Voice Press Release Student Voice

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago

Student Voice: BREAKING NEWS: Student Voice Press Release June 25, 2013 Uncategorized No Comments [image: Wallpaper 3] *BREAKING NEWS: *Student Voice Press Release “Students have leveraged social media to form a fully functioning, recently incorporated organization, which is seeking non-profit status. The organization, Student Voice, is uniquely positioned as a student-led organization working to activate the student voice through building community and opportunity.” - See more at: http://www.stuvoice.org/2013/06/25/breaking-news-student-voice-press-release/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium... more »

The real union haters. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago

The real union haters. | Fred Klonsky: The real union haters. by Fred Klonsky In a few days I will be heading for Atlanta, Georgia for the national convention of the National Education Association. The first three days I’ll be at the retired conference and then five days of debates over budgets and policies. I’ve been doing this for twenty years. I can’t say it is fun. But there is a lot to like about spending a week with 10,000 union educators. Although there are some who want to paint a picture of me as being disagreeable, I have voted with the majority of delegates more often than... more »

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Dissecting the Data on Charter Schools

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Dissecting the Data on Charter Schools: Guest Post: Dissecting the Data on Charter Schools by Emily Richmond [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] *A new study from Stanford University's Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) concludes that charter school students in some states are making respectable academic gains while others are falling behind their peers at traditional public schools. (You'll find a handy aggregation of the media coverage at EdMedia Commons.) The new CREDO report, like much of the charter schoo... more »

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-25-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all Education Headlines *Tuesday, June 25, 2013* New school funding plan will ask for community inputThe Local Control Funding Formula, which will be enacted into law when Gov. Jerry Brown signs the budget, not only means more money for schools educating low income students and English learners. It will also mean a lot more community involvement will be asked for to ensure the money goes to the children it is intended to educate. Raise... more »

Louisiana Educator: The Common Core Is So Wrong for Louisiana

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: The Common Core Is So Wrong for Louisiana: The Common Core Is So Wrong for Louisiana by Michael Deshotels In February I wrote a post for this blog predicting that the common core would be a disaster for Louisiana. This opinion piece in the New York Times confirms my conclusion that this standard is wrong for most of our public schools and particularly wrong for Louisiana. This untested elitist curriculum is sure to make our students and teachers look like failures when really it is the standard that is wrong. The reformers love to say that if we just "raise th... more »

Daily Kos: some quick thoughts on VRA case

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Daily Kos: some quick thoughts on VRA case: some quick thoughts on VRA case by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) 1. I think there are votes in the H to pass a fix, but Boehner might punt using Hastert rule, and refuse to bring it up without majority support in Republican caucus 2. Potentially this decision is VERY DANGEROUS for the Republican party, because of the fact that Section 5 is still there. It is this I want to briefly explore Congress needs to draw a new map of which states/jurisdictions would be covered. Some that were previously covered might not be, while others previ... more »

Education Reform in the New Jim Crow Era | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Education Reform in the New Jim Crow Era | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Education Reform in the New Jim Crow Era by millerlf Friday, 17 May 2013 By P.L. Thomas, Truthout *[image: OFFICERS SCHOOLS CRIME 7 main]Officer Craig Davis, a former municipal policeman now with the Houston school district force, monitors a hallway at E.L. Furr High School in Houston, March 20, 2013. (Photo: Michael Stravato / The New York Times)There are significant parallels between the war on drugs and market-oriented education reform, and both create an underclass – especially among Africa... more »

Jonathan Hage’s Selective Memory of Charter Schools USA Indianapolis Venture | Scathing Purple Musings

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Jonathan Hage’s Selective Memory of Charter Schools USA Indianapolis Venture | Scathing Purple Musings: Jonathan Hage’s Selective Memory of Charter Schools USA Indianapolis Venture by Bob Sikes Well Duh! As part of his spirited defense of Charter Schools USA and their role in the takeover attempt of seven Pembroke Pines schools, CEO Jonathan Hage pointed to CSUSA’s takeover of Indianapolis schools: Last year the State of Indiana invited Charter Schools USA to partner on turning around the lowest performing schools in Indianapolis. We diagnosed each school’s symptoms and developed... more »

China’s new education reform: Reducing importance of test scores

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

China’s new education reform: Reducing importance of test scores: China’s new education reform: Reducing importance of test scores By Valerie Strauss, Published: June 25, 2013 at 9:42 amE-mail the writer [image: china_specialec_97]China just began a major education reform effort that is aimed at reducing the importance of standardized testing in determining school quality and including factors such as student engagement, boredom, anxiety, and happiness. It also seeks to cut back on the amount of school work students are given. As scholar Yong Zhao notes in the following post, the app... more »

NYC Educator: City Teachers--Guilty Until Proven Innocent

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

NYC Educator: City Teachers--Guilty Until Proven Innocent: Guilty Until Proven Innocent by NYC Educator That's what legal expert Campbell Brown says about city teachers. She's still running around spouting preposterous stereotypical nonsense, with theabsolute cooperation of the NY Daily News. Witness this chilling statistic: *Data obtained by Brown and the Daily News show that officials tried to fire 128 school staffers for sexual misconduct or inappropriate relationships with students since 2007 — but only 33 educators were actually fired.* What's missing here? I'm gonna go out o... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-25-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Colorado Virtual Academy Severs Association with K12 Inc. by dianerav The Colorado Virtual Academy, one of K12 Inc.’s biggest schools, has severed its association with the publicly traded corporation. They may continue to use its curriculum but not its management services, starting in 2014. “The Colorado school has been criticized for its low graduation rates (22 percent in 2011-12, according to state education statistics) and a discovery by state auditors that t... more »

6-25-13 @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: [image: gears] CREDO v. Kids Count by plthomasedd I make a predication, about the fact that kids still don’t count. Please read HERE about CREDO’s new charter study and the 2013 Kids Count report. Tagged: CREDO, Kids Count Meaningless Debates by Activism in paradise - Voices from down under by David Hood Retired after 50 years in education Career includes 25 years as teacher and principal, Department of Education official, senior manager of Education Review Office, establishment CEO of New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and consultant ... more »

Charter School Performance Study Finds Small Gains

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Charter School Performance Study Finds Small Gains: Charter School Performance Study Finds Small Gains by Joy Resmovits [image: charter school performance study] Charter school students on average slightly outpace comparable public school kids in reading and tie them in math, according to a large study of academic performance that shows slow but steady charter school improvement in some states since 2009. Charter students on the whole end the school year with reading skills eight instructional days ahead of public school kids, and perform at about the same rate as public school st... more »

Child Poverty Has Risen Even As Unemployment Falls

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Child Poverty Has Risen Even As Unemployment Falls: Child Poverty Has Risen Even As Unemployment Falls By Bryce Covert on Jun 24, 2013 at 3:30 pm Credit: AP Even as unemployment has gradually declined, the child poverty rate has been on the rise, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Between 2010 and 2011, the number of children living in poverty rose from 15.7 million to 16.4 million. The child poverty rate also rose from 19 to 23 percent from 2005 to 2011, representing an increase of 3 million children. The rates are even worse for younger kids: Children age... more »

Changing the World, Step by Step - Bridging Differences - Education Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Changing the World, Step by Step - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Changing the World, Step by Step by Deborah Meier *Todd Sutler of the Odyssey Initiative files his second, and final, post on the Bridging Differences blog today.* Debbie, What do we mean by a "successful school"? Our team began our design meetings for Compass Charter School by talking about what we believe about children. This first step helped ground us in our agreement that children have rights and should be treated as human beings who are invested in the learning process. Education is not handed down to t... more »

Where U.S. stands in education internationally — new report

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Where U.S. stands in education internationally — new report: Where U.S. stands in education internationally — new report By Valerie Strauss, Published: June 25, 2013 at 5:01 amE-mail the writer [image: oecd]A new report that analyzes education trends in several dozen countries says that the United States is behind in early childhood education even though it spends more and that American teachers spend more time in class than their international peers. The report, called “Education at a Glance 2013″ and being released on Tuesday by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Developm... more »

Clearwater Revival Festival

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Clearwater Revival Festival: Clearwater Revival Festival by saveourschools On Saturday and Sunday, June 15th and 16th, SOS was represented at Pete Seeger’s Clearwater Revival Festival in Croton, NY. In addition to spreading the word about this fall’s Campaign for Artful Resistance, these photos and our Tweet board started it off. [image: IMG_1537] [image: IMG_1563] [image: IMG_1564] [image: IMG_1568] [image: IMG_1569] [image: IMG_1798] [image: IMG_1799] [image: IMG_1800] [image: IMG_1801] [image: IMG_1803] [image: IMG_1805] [image: IMG_1806] [image: photo-1] [image: photo-2] [image:... more »

Charter performance improving, but still varied | HechingerEd Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Charter performance improving, but still varied | HechingerEd Blog: Charter performance improving, but still varied by Sarah Butrymowicz [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Since Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) released a report on charter schools in 2009 that prompted questions about how well these schools were serving students, the sector has continued to grow. In the past four years, national charter school enrollment has increased by 80 percent to 2.3 million students. CREDO’s latest comprehensive report checks back... more »

Is Personalization in Education About Students or Profit? | Education on GOOD

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Is Personalization in Education About Students or Profit? | Education on GOOD: Is Personalization in Education About Students or Profit? ** *This is the fourth post (**read part one, part two, and part three) **in a series on the purpose of education.* The end-run of the logic of the "free market model" of education—and its application to schools—is simple: the repudiation of schools as we have come to know them; the abandonment of democratic principles on which they are based; and the service of a technocratic vision of education as matrix of individual relationships with private ... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: AN OPEN LETTER TO PEARSON

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: AN OPEN LETTER TO PEARSON: AN OPEN LETTER TO PEARSON by smf AN OPEN LETTER TO PEARSON BY JACOB TANENBAUM IN EDUCATION WEEK | HTTP://BIT.LY/15AVLUI - *Pearson PLC* is a British multinational publishing and education company headquartered in London. It is the largest education company and the largest book publisher in the world | http://bit.ly/146qCkx - Pearson is a prime developer of the Common Core State Curriculum and the Common Core State Standards tests to assess student progress. - Pearson is also the singl... more »

We Party Patriots » GROSS: Pollsters Suggest Gov. Corbett Use Philly’s Teachers Unions as “Wedge” to Get Re-Elected

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

We Party Patriots » GROSS: Pollsters Suggest Gov. Corbett Use Philly’s Teachers Unions as “Wedge” to Get Re-Elected: GROSS: Pollsters Suggest Gov. Corbett Use Philly’s Teachers Unions as “Wedge” to Get Re-Elected by Chaz Bolte [image: Corbett] As Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett is struggling in the infancy of his re-election bid, a new poll taken by Public Opinion Strategies suggests that he should attack Philadelphia teachers unions in order to bolster his approval rating. Considering major education cuts have been a driver of a low approval rating thus far, the recommendation... more »

Duncan indicates support for district waiver, praises Brown’s funding reform | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Duncan indicates support for district waiver, praises Brown’s funding reform | EdSource Today: Duncan indicates support for district waiver, praises Brown’s funding reform - by Kathryn Baron by Kathryn Baron [image: U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan in San Francisco. (Source: Public Policy Institute of California).] U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan in San Francisco. (Source: Public Policy Institute of California). U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan set aside years of acrimony and disagreements with Gov. Jerry Brown and sang the governor’s praises during an event Friday nig... more »

Perdido Street School: Who Will Bill Thompson Turn On?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Perdido Street School: Who Will Bill Thompson Turn On?: Who Will Bill Thompson Turn On? by reality-based educator The Wall Street Journal looks at the broad coalition of supporters mayoral candidate Bill Thompson enjoys - from Regents chancellor Merryl Tisch and some in the corporate education reform and charter school movement to Randi Weingarten and the UFT - and asks which one of those groups Thompson eventually screws. A teacher in the article really gets to the crux of the conundrum for me: Ben Wides, a Manhattan high-school history teacher, is leaning toward supporting Publ... more »

The solution to US public schools is not corporate America | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

The solution to US public schools is not corporate America | toteachornototeach: The solution to US public schools is not corporate America by aristotlethewise *The solution to US public schools is not corporate America* *We’re slashing K-12 funding and teachers and then turning our* *schools over to private operators. This is hardly good ‘reform’* by Daniel Denvir America’s K-12 schools are being hollowed out, dismantled and converted to private management. It’s the ultimate outsourcing of our children’s futures. In Philadelphia, one of America’s largest school districts, layoff notic... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: School house to jail house

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: School house to jail house: School house to jail house by Mike Klonsky My students are just getting into Michelle Alexander's book, The New Jim Crow. We're trying to understand the connection between the mass incarceration of young people, particularly African-Americans and the worsening conditions for poor and children of color in the nation's schools. Furman Univ. prof, *Paul Thomas*, writing in Truthout makes the link between Reagan's War on Drugs, which began filling the jails in the 1980s, and corporate-style school reform. *For three decades, th... more »

Cartoons about Life at Lincoln Middle School (Diana Bledsoe) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Cartoons about Life at Lincoln Middle School (Diana Bledsoe) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Cartoons about Life at Lincoln Middle School (Diana Bledsoe) by larrycuban For my monthly feature of cartoons, I offer a few created by Diana Bledsoe. I met Diana through my blog. I readhers and saw that she did cartoons about a fictitious middle school. I thought readers would like to see some of her renderings about life in middle school for kids, teachers, and administrators. She told me that she is a “*cartoonist who has been in the education field for over 15 year... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: How many more of these studies do we really need?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: How many more of these studies do we really need?: How many more of these studies do we really need? by Mike Klonsky Well, it's another week and there's another study showing once again that charter schools fail to perform better than the traditional public schools they are being touted to replace. Of course the whole premise behind comparing and rating large categories of schools, based on a selected group of standardized test scores makes no sense and needs more debunking. This latest study, coming out of Stanford's CREDO group finds: *56 perc... more »

Charters not outperforming nation’s traditional public schools, report says - The Washington Post

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Charters not outperforming nation’s traditional public schools, report says - The Washington Post: Charters not outperforming nation’s traditional public schools, report says [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] STOP CLOSING SCHOOLS [image: Stop Closing Schools] Say NO to Privatization! The nation’s public charter schools are growing more effective but most don’t produce better academic results when compared with traditional public schools, according to a report released Tuesday. Researchers at Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes lo... more »

Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Green Evaluation: China’s Latest Reform to Deemphasize Testing

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Green Evaluation: China’s Latest Reform to Deemphasize Testing: Green Evaluation: China’s Latest Reform to Deemphasize Testing by YongZhao Last week the Chinese Ministry of Education launched another major reform effort to reduce the importance of testing in education. In a document sent to all provincial education authorities on June 19th, the Ministry of Education unveiled guidelines and a new framework for evaluating schools. China has engaged in numerous systemic reforms over the last few decades, with the goal to minimize... more »

A Thought On Graduations As A Whole - The Jose Vilson

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

A Thought On Graduations As A Whole - The Jose Vilson: A Thought On Graduations As A Whole by Jose Vilson You can always read this at The Jose Vilson - It's Not About A Salary; It's All About Reality.. Feel free to leave a comment, too. [image: Isaiah Mustafa in Old Spice Commercial] Isaiah Mustafa in Old Spice Commercial A list of the common complaints about graduations from K-12: - Not everyone deserves to graduate. A more detailed subset of that list: - At this rate, should we *have* to make special accommodations for our kids when we’re trying to raise the rigor of all ... more »

Add your blog here | Spanish Readers' Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Add your blog here | Spanish Readers' Blog: Add your blog here by Mr. R English is a predominant language at the Web but look for it and you may find blogs in all languages including Spanish. In blog directories, we do not see tangible evidence of blogs about educational issues. However, during my hunt, I have seen educational blogsphere growing exponentially. Blogging in the classroom is not an economic hobbyhorse yet, but one can see some blogs with sponsored ads at least. Spanish Readers Blog, intends compiling a list of blogs by teachers and non-teachers, just normal people wh... more »

Diane in the Evening 6-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Rudy Crew Leaving Oregon, Returning to NYC by dianerav This is a surprise. Rudy Crew, former chancellor of the New York City public schools, former superintendent of the Miami Dade schools, currently chief education officer of the state of Oregon, will return to New York City to assume the presidency of Medger Evers College in Brooklyn, which is part of the City University of New York system. Scottish Schools Go Their Own Way, Away from Testing dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 24 minutes ago The public schools... more »

6-24-13 @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: [image: gears] Our recent show on NCTQ. Consider this the end of the discussion. by Chalk Face, PhD We returned to the air last evening to discuss the various reactions to the latest NCTQ report. This for me is the end of the debate. We need not comment on it further unless further developments ensue. Other authors are welcome to continue the dialogue, however. One of our callers raised a very excellent point. […] Is #ISTE13 a substantive debate on #edtech or just a business convention? by Chalk Face, PhD I’m guessing the latter based on s... more »

Reboot and Recharge: The Power of Technology-Infused Instructors — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Reboot and Recharge: The Power of Technology-Infused Instructors — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Rich McKinney]Reboot and Recharge: The Power of Technology-Infused Instructors June 24, 2013 by Rich McKinney Earlier this summer I created my first Vine. A month ago I would have thought that statement to be an indication that I had taken up gardening as a hobby, but I've since learned that Vine is a social media tool that allows users to create and share a personalized six-second video loop. Each summer, when the school year comes to a close, I try to evaluate the... more »

Perdido Street School: Did Joel Klein Help Break Up Rupert Murdoch's Marriage?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Perdido Street School: Did Joel Klein Help Break Up Rupert Murdoch's Marriage?: Did Joel Klein Help Break Up Rupert Murdoch's Marriage? by reality-based educator Read the entire Michael Wolff piece on Rupert Murdoch's impending divorce to his third wife, Wendi, for a Game of Thrones-like story of familial intrigue, plotting and backstabbing within the Murdoch family and News Corp inner circle, but definitely take note of what happened to Rupert's marriage to Wendi when Joel Klein came aboard: In a world whose main currency was having Rupert's ear, Wendi had altered the balance of... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Piston's star and Crane alum, Bynum, speaks out on school closings.

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Piston's star and Crane alum, Bynum, speaks out on school closings.: Piston's star and Crane alum, Bynum, speaks out on school closings. by Mike Klonsky Bynum starred at Crane As a high school basketball junkie, I got my thrills watching Will "The Thrill" Bynum play for Crane back in 2001. Will, a tough, smart kid who grew up on the south side and went to school on the west side, went on from Crane to Arizona and then to Georgia Tech where he helped lead his school to the Final Four. He bounced around professionally for a few years before landing in De... more »

Forget Evidence: White, BESE, and Corporate Reform Ideology | deutsch29

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Forget Evidence: White, BESE, and Corporate Reform Ideology | deutsch29: Forget Evidence: White, BESE, and Corporate Reform Ideology by deutsch29 Last week, the NCTQ report of teacher training programs was published in *US News and World Report. *Mind you, NCTQ doesn’t bother with anything so real as mandatory site visits to the programs it rates, which can make for a really embarrassing moment when a site that receives high marks doesn’t exist except on paper. I have been thinking about Kate Walsh and NCTQ, about how it is that they continue to push their poorly investigated judgme...more »

Fisher v. University Of Texas At Austin Ruling Leaves Universities In Limbo

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Fisher v. University Of Texas At Austin Ruling Leaves Universities In Limbo: Fisher v. University Of Texas At Austin Ruling Leaves Universities In Limbo by Joy Resmovits [image: Fisher v. University Of Texas At Austin Ruling] After months of waiting for the Supreme Court to issue a sweeping ruling on affirmative action in the Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin case, universities and education groups are trying to make sense of Monday's decision. "In a way, it was really a decision about the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 5th Circuit and not about affirmative action," said Cathar... more »

NYC Public School Parents: There’s no accountability for anyone at the top at DOE; and I can prove it

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: There’s no accountability for anyone at the top at DOE; and I can prove it: There’s no accountability for anyone at the top at DOE; and I can prove it by Leonie Haimson The testing companies Pearson and McGraw Hill can screw up over and over again – and continue to get multi- million dollar contracts. Principals rarely get fired, and even those caught cheating are appointed “achievement coaches.” Yet teachers and children are threatened with the most severe sanctions – including losing their jobs or being held back – if their performance does not... more »

"Managing" Teacher Professionalism - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

"Managing" Teacher Professionalism - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: "Managing" Teacher Professionalism by Nancy Flanagan Twenty years ago, Michigan schools were in a funding down-cycle. Lots of belt-tightening and angry school board meetings with parents protesting transportation cuts and pay-to-play sports fees. I was finishing up my tenure (reign?) as Michigan Teacher of the Year. I was pink-slipped in the spring, but unconcerned; I'd been pink-slipped six times before--I'm a music teacher and music is always expendable in tough times-- and understood that ...more »

Charter Schools USA CEO Jonathan Hage Spins Failed Pembroke Pines Deal | Scathing Purple Musings

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Charter Schools USA CEO Jonathan Hage Spins Failed Pembroke Pines Deal | Scathing Purple Musings: Charter Schools USA CEO Jonathan Hage Spins Failed Pembroke Pines Deal by Bob Sikes Stinging from the bad publicity his company got in the Pembroke Pines affair, Charter Schools USA CEO Jonathan Hage penned a column this morning in his home town newspaper, the* Sun Sentinel*. Of the affair he writes: The reaction to the city’s invitation (for CSUSA’s bid) was mixed. While we saw and heard from many teachers and parents who supported our involvement, we also were disappointed to see a ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Knows How to Spend Money but Not Make Money

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Knows How to Spend Money but Not Make Money: Seattle Schools Knows How to Spend Money but Not Make Money by Melissa Westbrook At least that's what you might think if read the recent State Auditor findings on the district's handling of rentals for district facilities. It is hard not to be frustrated over the district not tracking ALL the money AND probably losing money from the joint use agreement with city parks. (In a couple of places it even smacks of some kind of insider help for some groups.) From the audit: *Background:* ... more »

Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: The Supreme Court on University of Texas at Austin's Affirmative Action Program

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: The Supreme Court on University of Texas at Austin's Affirmative Action Program: The Supreme Court on University of Texas at Austin's Affirmative Action Program by L. Jablonski Fisher v. University of Texas Austin: Supreme Court Sends Affirmative Action at the University of Texas Back to Lower Court for Strict Scrutiny In a 7-1 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today affirmed the use of race by colleges and universities as part of the admissions process in order to advance a state's compelling interest in ensuring a diverse student body. But that's n... more »

Louisiana Educator: Moyers and Company Exposes ALEC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: Moyers and Company Exposes ALEC: Moyers and Company Exposes ALEC by Michael Deshotels Louisiana Public Broadcasting this weekend featured a Moyers and Company expose' on ALEC. (Just click in the link to get to the program) Bill Moyers, a highly respected reporter, hosted this excellent program unveiling the role of the American Legislative Exchange Council in creating and promoting model legislation passed for the benefit of some of the largest US corporations. The program is titled *The United States of ALEC - A Follow-up*.This program includes a great explana... more »

John Dillon writes me after a meeting with Representative Jeanne Ives. She wants to turn our pension into a Ponzi scheme. “Let’s get naked.” | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

John Dillon writes me after a meeting with Representative Jeanne Ives. She wants to turn our pension into a Ponzi scheme. “Let’s get naked.” | Fred Klonsky: John Dillon writes me after a meeting with Representative Jeanne Ives. She wants to turn our pension into a Ponzi scheme. “Let’s get naked.” by Fred Klonsky [image: imw0010716] *Been there. Done that.* MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2013Re: A Meeting with Jeanne Ives at Panera Bread in Naperville by John Dillon Hey, Fred -You missed a great meeting, Fred. Glen and I have been wrong all this time. We make too much money, not too little, or eve... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Program Offers Parenting Classes To Latino Families Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 21 minutes ago Parenting classes tailored for Latino families show promise in closing achievement gap is a post over at Ed Source that is worth reading. I’d be interested in hearing from other people who have had experience with the program described in the article. It’s called “Abriendo Puertas.” Another Reason To Wonder About Huge Parent Engagement Experiment In Providence Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In Sc... more »

California children facing poor economic conditions, education | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

California children facing poor economic conditions, education | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: California children facing poor economic conditions, education by Deepa Fernandes [image: Options Head Start - 1] *Teacher Lawana Nelson teaches preschoolers Marissa Arellano, left, and Andrea Castaneda how to snap their fingers during the afternoon session at Options Head Start in Monrovia on Thursday, May 16.; Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC* A study out Monday shows that more children nationwide are living in poverty than previous years, with California kids faring particularly poorly. The 2013 K... more »

A Message from the Secretary of Education Student Voice

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Student Voice: A Message from the Secretary of Education by Editor Admin Arne Duncan, the United States Secretary of Education, shares some inspiring words with the participants of the Student Voice Live! Summit, as well as any students with interest or passion in Civic Learning and Engagement.Catch up on what else you may have missed from Student Voice Live! here. Popout

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: DISTRICTS TO GET $1.25 BILLION THIS FALL TO IMPLEMENT COMMON CORE - BY JOHN FENSTERWALD by John Fensterwald *Payola Continues to Work Well For Corporate Education Reform * Education Headlines *Monday, June 24, 2013* Charter school petition deniedSoulsbyville School District's Board of Trustees voted unanimously Thursday to deny a petition for a new charter school that would focus on leadership and the arts. Hacienda La Puente USD uses $12M in reserves to balance budgetThe Hacienda La Puente Unified School Board approved a $190 ... more »

Let the Waters Flow — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Let the Waters Flow — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Walter McKenzie]Let the Waters Flow June 24, 2013 by Walter McKenzie One of the legacies of the Industrial Age is the ideal of standardization: creating products of consistent quality that can be mass-produced. Coming out of the Agricultural Age, this was a huge step forward; without standardization much of what was accomplished in the 20th century could not have been attained. Along with standardization came specialization, as specific standards of quality had to be met by specific experts. On any assembly lin... more »

California Schools: New State, Federal Strategies Flawed, Familiar | California Progress Report

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

California Schools: New State, Federal Strategies Flawed, Familiar | California Progress Report: California Schools: New State, Federal Strategies Flawed, Familiar Posted on 24 June 2013 [image: Printer-friendly version]Printer-friendly version[image: Send by email]Send by email *[image: Lisa Schiff]By Lisa Schiff* Almost as much has happened in the two weeks since public schools let out for the summer than in the entire second semester. In the first part of June, a revised version of federal education policy was introduced in the Senate and a California state budget has all but pass... more »

The Quality of Teacher Training is Not… | Taking Note

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

The Quality of Teacher Training is Not… | Taking Note: The Quality of Teacher Training is Not… by John Merrow Picture this: You are heading to the doctor’s office for your annual physical. As you approach her office, your doctor calls out the window, “You don’t need to come in. Just walk back and forth a few times while I watch. That should be sufficient.” Crazy, right? You wouldn’t trust that diagnosis and might find yourself a new doctor. That analogy is a pretty fair description of the survey and analysis released by the National Council on Teacher Quality, “Teacher Prep Review,... more »

Malloy political consulting firm developing campaign to beat Working Families Party candidates - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Malloy political consulting firm developing campaign to beat Working Families Party candidates - Wait, What?: Malloy political consulting firm developing campaign to beat Working Families Party candidates by jonpelto FACT: Dan Malloy became Governor Dannel Malloy thanks to the Working Families Party. When counting the Republican and Democratic Party vote, Malloy actually lost to Tom Foley by a vote of 560,874 to 540,970. That left Malloy 19,904 votes behind. However the Working Families Party cross-endorsed Malloy and 26,308 Connecticut citizens cast their vote for Malloy on tha... more »

Child-rearing grandparents slipping through the safety net - latimes.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Child-rearing grandparents slipping through the safety net - latimes.com: Child-rearing grandparents slipping through the safety netSome seniors can be ineligible for public aid, a new report says. Even if they got extra funds, the state would still save money by avoiding foster care. - [image: print] - Comments 10 - Email Share 18 - [image: Bessie Clayborne, 83, and 6-year-old grandson Malcolm, whom she's been raising since he was a newborn] Bessie Clayborne, 83, has been raising 6-year-old grandson Malcolm since he was a newborn. (Francine Orr, Lo... more »

Retired Educators Still Fighting for Public Schools | NEA Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Retired Educators Still Fighting for Public Schools | NEA Today: Retired Educators Still Fighting for Public Schools by twalker *By Edward Graham* All across the country, retired teachers and educators are continuing to take a stand for public education and their active colleagues. Nowhere is this more evident than in the work of statewide retired education associations, where retirees play an active and important role in supporting students, teachers, and future educators. There are retired National Education Association affiliates in all 50 states. These retired associations work... more »

KIDS COUNT Data Center from the Annie E. Casey Foundation

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

KIDS COUNT Data Center from the Annie E. Casey Foundation: [image: KIDS COUNT data center: A project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation] - - DATA BY LOCATION - DATA BY TOPIC - PUBLICATIONS - UPDATES - Help - About - Contact A project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, KIDS COUNT is the premier source for data on child and family well-being in the United States. Access hundreds of indicators, download data and create reports and graphics on the KIDS COUNT Data Center that support smart decisions about children and families. SEARCH CHOOSE A STATE [image: USA M... more »